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Shampoo, a daily necessity, who would have thought that it could become a "time bomb"? The recent news about the "poisoned shampoo" that exploded online is reminiscent of the sensational "Overlord Dioxane" incident in 2010, when the once household name suffered an unprecedented crisis of confidence.
In 2010, China is in a period of rapid economic development, people's living standards are constantly improving, and the demand for beauty salon products is also increasing day by day.
In September of that year, a report reported that the carcinogen dioxane was detected in Bawang shampoo, which instantly detonated public opinion, dioxane is a colorless and transparent liquid, and long-term contact may lead to liver and kidney damage, and even induce cancer.
Consumers panicked and threw the Bawang shampoo at home into the trash, and the stock price of Bawang International on the stock market also plummeted, evaporating nearly 10 billion Hong Kong dollars in market value in just a few days.
In the face of this crisis, the reaction of the overlord company can be said to be unprepared, they first denied it, then said that they would send it for inspection, and finally even pointed the finger at the media, saying that someone maliciously slandered, and this vacillating attitude undoubtedly added fuel to the fire.
But the matter did not end there, after some twists and turns, the court finally ruled that it was a defamation incident, and that dioxane was not detected in the overlord shampoo, and those negative reports were rumors spread by people with ulterior motives, but although the truth was revealed, the image and market position of Overlord could never return to the past.
More than a decade has passed in the blink of an eye, but history always seems to repeat itself, and recently it has been reported that some shampoos on the market contain harmful ingredients that can lead to hair loss and even more serious health problems when used for a long time.
In fact, the root of the shampoo safety problem is far more than this, at the beginning of the 20th century, people were still washing their hair with soap, until the 1930s, the first liquid shampoo came out, at that time people's awareness of chemicals was still very limited, and the requirements for product safety were not high, as long as the hair can be washed clean, it is considered a good product.
With the development of the times, consumers have higher and higher requirements for shampoo, not only to clean, but also to moisturize, prevent shedding, dandruff, color protection... A variety of functions came into being, in order to achieve these functions various chemical components are added, silicone oil, preservatives, flavors... Some ingredients, while providing immediate results, can cause damage to the scalp and hair follicles with long-term use.
In 2012, Johnson & Johnson baby shampoo was detected in India containing formaldehyde and asbestos, these two things are carcinogens, and the other is mineral fibers that may cause lung disease, which can poke the hornet's nest, the India government immediately ordered to stop selling, consumers are even more explosive, Johnson & Johnson, an old brand with a hundred years of history, has been a leader in the baby products market, who would have thought that it would also be planted in shampoo?
Johnson & Johnson's response was much smarter than that of Overlord, who quickly admitted the mistake, recalled the problematic product and promised to improve the formula, but the incident still cast a shadow over the Johnson & Johnson brand.
Speaking of which, some people may ask: don't these large companies have professional R&D teams? How could such a low-level mistake be made?
In fact, the problem often lies in the trade-off between cost and benefit, although some additives may have potential risks, but can greatly improve the immediate effect of the product or reduce the production cost, in the fierce market competition some companies may take risks.
On the one hand, there are many types of chemicals, testing technology is constantly updated, and it is difficult for the regulatory authorities to cover everything, on the other hand, some companies will use some "side-kick" means in order to avoid supervision, such as using new additives, or adding trace amounts of harmful substances to the formula.
As consumers, first of all, we must be vigilant, not to be confused by flashy packaging and exaggerated advertising, secondly, learn to read the product ingredient list, avoid some known harmful substances, and finally if we find that scalp discomfort or hair loss worsens after using a certain shampoo, we should stop using it and seek medical attention in time.
When I was a child, the old people in the countryside didn't use any shampoo, but used some natural plants to wash their hair, such as acacia flowers, soaphorns, tea... These gifts of nature can not only wash the hair, but also nourish the scalp, and now think about the methods handed down by these ancestors, perhaps the safest and most environmentally friendly.
The development of the shampoo industry actually reflects the changes of the whole society, from the simple cleaning needs to the pursuit of multi-function, and now the high emphasis on safety, every step confirms the improvement of people's living standards and the transformation of consumption concepts.
However, this transformation did not happen overnight, in the process we have experienced too many lessons, paid a lot of price, for example, in 2015 sensational "Unilever rhinitis" incident, when some consumers reported rhinitis symptoms after using a certain brand of shampoo, this incident once again aroused public concern about the safety of daily necessities.
Unilever, a multinational commodity giant, responded cautiously, with the company quickly launching an investigation and publicly stating that its products met national standards, but the incident still affected consumer confidence to some extent.
In fact, the safety of shampoos is much more than that, in recent years, with the increase in people's attention to scalp health, some potential risk factors have gradually surfaced, such as some preservatives added to shampoos may cause scalp allergies, some thickeners may clog hair follicles and affect scalp breathing, and excessive use of silicone oils can cause hair loss and even aggravate hair loss.
In the face of these challenges, the industry and beyond, both inside and outside the industry are actively seeking solutions, some companies have begun to develop safer and more environmentally friendly formulations, such as using plant extracts instead of chemical preservatives, using natural surfactants instead of traditional powerful cleaners, and some emerging brands are focusing on concepts such as "silicone-free" and "soap-free" in an attempt to open up a new blue ocean in the market.
The new version of the Regulations on the Supervision and Administration of Cosmetics, which came into effect on January 1, 2021, puts forward stricter requirements for the management of raw materials, production and operation, and label management of cosmetics (including shampoo), which undoubtedly provides an institutional guarantee for the healthy development of the industry.
With the improvement of the public's scientific literacy, more and more consumers have begun to pay attention to product ingredients and take the initiative to learn relevant knowledge.
At the same time, some traditional shampoos are gaining renewed attention, such as some consumers are starting to try "silicone-free" shampoos, or using shampoos made from natural plants, and this trend of returning to nature is somewhat a reflection on over-chemicalization.
With the development of Internet technology, the channels for consumer rights protection are also expanding, and the evaluation system of social media and e-commerce platforms provides consumers with more opportunities to speak out.
Looking back on the development of the shampoo industry, we can see a process of continuous progress and self-improvement, from the initial simple cleaning function, to the later multi-effect integration, and then to the current pursuit of safety and environmental protection, every step embodies the progress of science and technology and the changes in consumer needs.
The process has not been easy, and the lessons of our over-pursuit of immediate results, ignoring the potential risks of long-term use, and compromising on raw material selection in order to reduce costs have been the driving force behind the industry's progress.
Now that more and more consumers are beginning to pay attention to the composition and production process of products, professional terms such as "silicone oil", "SLES" and "preservatives" have gradually entered the public eye, and this awakening of consumer awareness will undoubtedly promote the entire industry to move towards higher standards.
We are also seeing some exciting new trends, such as some brands starting to experiment with biodegradable packaging materials to reduce plastic pollution, and companies adding scalp microbiome regulators to their products to maintain scalp health, these innovations reflect corporate social responsibility and point the way for the sustainable development of the industry.
For consumers, choosing a safe shampoo is not only a matter of personal health, but also a responsible consumption behavior, and we can protect ourselves by the following aspects:
Learn to read product ingredient lists, and while those chemical names may seem complicated, with a few simple learnings, we can identify potentially risky ingredients.
Choose the right product for yourself, everyone's scalp condition is different, don't blindly follow the choices of others, you can try it out through a sample to find the most suitable product for yourself.
Maintain proper usage habits, even safe products, can cause problems if used incorrectly, such as shampooing should focus on cleaning the scalp instead of rubbing the hair excessively.
Finally, stay vigilant, but don't panic excessively, the vast majority of shampoos sold through formal channels on the market are safe, we need to trust the country's regulatory system, and at the same time, we must use our own judgment.
This event reminds us once again that health is the eternal theme in the pursuit of beauty, and it also shows us that the awakening of consumers is driving the entire industry towards higher standards.
What do you think of the poisoned shampoo incident? Feel free to share your views and experiences in the comments section.
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Xuemiz LS2024-10-12Shocked! "Poisoned shampoo" has been exposed, and long-term use will turn bald, and many families are using it
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